The Joint Session

of the Aristotelian Society & the Mind Association

About

The Joint Session is a three-day conference in philosophy that is held annually during the summer by the Aristotelian Society and the Mind Association. It has taken place at nearly every major university across the United Kingdom and in Ireland. Since 1910, the Joint Session has grown to become the largest gathering of philosophers in the country, attracting prestigious UK and international speakers working in a broad range of philosophical areas. Inaugurated by the incoming President of the Mind Association, the Joint Session includes symposia, open and postgradaute sessions, and a range of satellite conferences.

The first Joint Session took place in the summer of 1910 off Albermarle Street in the Mayfair area of London. For a number of years it included the British Psychological Society. In 1918, the first official record of the Joint Session was published as the Proceedings of the Aristotelian Society, Supplementary Volume.

One notable feature of the Joint Session is its symposium format. The symposia provide a rare opportunity to witness live and engaging debate between leading philosophers. According to the 11th President of the Aristotelian Society, H. Wildon Carr (1915-1918):

“The purpose of the Aristotelian Society Symposium is to bring together opposite, divergent, and diverse answers to some vital question of philosophical controversy in a definite manner. The opening paper is designed to state a thesis, and the second paper an antithesis, and these are followed by other points of view’’ (Supplementary Volume I [1918]).

Durham University is a collegiate public research university in Durham, North East England, founded in 1832. It was one of the first universities to commence tuition in England for more than 600 years and is one of a number of institutions that has been described as the third-oldest university in England. The university is a member of the Russell Group of British research universities after previously being a member of the 1994 Group. Durham is also affiliated with the regional N8 Research Partnership and international university groups including the Matariki Network of Universities and the Coimbra Group. It was Sunday Times University of the Year for 2005, also making the shortlist for the 2004 and 2016 awards, and the Times and Sunday Times Sports University of the Year for 2015.

call for papers

open & postgraduate sessions

The Joint Session includes submitted papers from all areas of philosophy. The Open Sessions take place during the Saturday and Sunday afternoons, allowing for an extensive and diverse programme of talks. The intention is to accommodate all philosophical material suitable for presentation - so far as time and space in the programme allow - and to not operate on a selective policy.

future joint sessions

july 2020

july 2021

july 2022

supplementary volume

The inaugural address and symposia for the Joint Session are published in the Proceedings of the Aristotelian Society, Supplementary Volume, which is published digitally and in hardcover every June. The Supplementary Volume is sent to subscribing members of the Society in categories 4 and 5.

Members in other categories can purchase the hardcover Supplementary Volume from the Online Shop. Volumes will also be available at the registration desk during the conference.